After slowly raising his middle finger at Song Tianyao, Tang Boqi changed the subject, his relaxed expression fading, and said to Song Tianyao, "A-Yao, it was Ah Yuan was wrong to poach people. It's true that one should be ambitious, but one shouldn't use such despicable methods. From now on, I will be in charge of the Tang family's fake hair business and will not allow Ah Yuan to do such things again. Can we talk?"
"Taking their talent to build your own business, there's nothing wrong with that. You're worried I'll hold onto your machine? Of course not. Business is about making money amicably. I'll definitely pay you for the machine on time. Don't think of me as the worst person." Song Tianyao said to Tang Boqi casually, "Besides, you even let me hitch a ride here for tea to nourish my kidneys. It's a small matter; I won't take it to heart."
Tang Boqi muttered Song Tianyao's words about making money through harmony, but what he was really thinking about was the methods he used against the Zhang Family, which were definitely not what one would call making money through harmony.
Chapter 263 An Unintentional Cause
Xia Zuoji felt that business was going well recently, and it seemed that his family was once again favored by the gods.
In just a few months, he had earned nearly Hong Kong dollars 100,000 by transporting wigs for Song Tianyao. Although Hong Kong dollars 100,000 was not much compared to Song Tianyao, who had secured an order from a Britain department store, it was a significant sum for Xia Zuoji's family. They used to barely make ends meet with a simple little grocery store, but now he could rent an entire tenement building to house his entire family. The grocery store had also been moved to a larger location, and he had some capital to prepare for venturing into other businesses and accumulating wealth.
A Braid longer than 30 centimeters, once delivered to Song Tianyao's factory warehouse in Hong Kong, would earn him one Hong Kong dollars. This same Braid could be received for only five Paisas in the remote India countryside, meaning each Braid cost only 25 cents Hong Kong dollars. Even after factoring in shipping and labor costs, the Braid n't be ten Paisas. In other words, Xia Zuoji could earn at least 50 cents Hong Kong dollars for every Braid he received.
Moreover, he no longer needs to rush back to India to collect it in person. His relatives and friends in India have taken over this arduous task. Now, he and his brother, Xia Harry, only need to stay in Hong Kong and wait for the cargo ship from India to send the head of the ship to Hong Kong, where they can deliver it to Song Tianyao's factory warehouse.
"I've been to Song Tianyao's factory workshop. There are only four sets of equipment. According to the workers in his factory, even if they produced 24 hours a day, they wouldn't produce more than a thousand wigs a month. Three to four Braids of hair, after being arranged and selected, can be woven into a wig. How many wigs has he collected from us so far? Nearly two hundred thousand Braids, enough for his factory to produce sixty to seventy thousand wigs." Xia Harry squatted by the roadside, picked up a matchstick, and calculated the data on the ground. "Even if his factory produces a thousand wigs a month, it would take five years to use them all, but he's still collecting from us."
Xia Zuoji had changed into an expensive suit, and wore a pair of gold-rimmed wide-framed crystal glasses. His gold necklace, rings, and expensive watch glittered in the sunlight, making him look every bit the wealthy India businessman. Hearing his brother's words, Xia Zuoji said, "Perhaps he wants to expand the factory?"
Xia Harry shook his head. "He probably wants to hoard enough hair to raise the price and sell it to other people who want to produce wigs."
Seemingly to convince Xia Zuoji of his judgment, Xia Harry wiped the numbers off the ground with his shoe, stood up, and said to Xia Zuoji:
"When you returned to India a while ago, I specifically visited the wig counters in three department stores in the Britain. In the Britain and the United States, black wigs are the most sought-after and more expensive than other brown or blonde wigs. Many China factory owners in Hong Kong are planning to follow Song Tianyao's example and produce wigs to sell to Western countries."
Seeing that Xia Zuoji didn't respond, Xia Harry continued, "I think we should start now, stockpile hair for ourselves, and sell it at a high price when the factories have too much and the raw materials are in high demand."
Xia Zuoji turned to look at his younger brother, Xia Harry, who shrugged as he met Xia Zuoji's gaze. "We can't just earn this little bit. I can try to meet with those people who are planning to open a wig factory and talk to them."
"No, you should greet Song Tianyao first." Xia Zuoji took out an exquisite silver cigarette case, took out dried tobacco grown in his hometown in India, skillfully rolled a cigarette, lit it, and said, "After all, he introduced us to this business. I've always said that he gave us this opportunity, and we can't just abandon the person who gave us this opportunity because of the seemingly visible benefits. Before you contact the other merchants who are preparing to produce wigs, you should go see Song Tianyao first."
Xia Harry nodded respectfully. "Yes, brother."
"I know you've been working hard lately, but we can't stop to rest right now. We have to keep going. I still need to meet with some bank managers in the meantime. The hair business is just temporary. We need to use this opportunity to do something that's really our own. Keep it up, Harry." Xia Zuoji patted his brother on the shoulder and turned to walk into the room.
Xia Harry stood there, thinking about what his brother had just said. He respected his brother, but he didn't think that doing his own business required contacting Song Tianyao. They were the sellers, and Song Tianyao was the buyer. The relationship was that simple. No one stipulated that the hair they collected from India could only be sold to Song Tianyao, nor did anyone stipulate that it could only be sold at the one Hong Kong dollars price set by Song Tianyao.
Why wouldn't you make money if you could?
"Really?" Tang Boqi's expression became even more serious when he heard Song Tianyao say so casually that he didn't mind.
If he were in Song Tianyao's position, and such a thing happened, Tang Boqi felt he couldn't possibly leave the other party without even the slightest lesson.
On his way to see Song Tianyao, he had thought of many things to say, but now Song Tianyao's casual remark had all his words stuck in his throat.
"Judging from your expression, you don't believe me either. If I say it's fake, what are you going to tell me?" Song Tianyao said, taking a portion of the provincial capital's traditional dessert, Tang Bu Shuai, that Lou Fengyun had portioned for him onto a plate. He took a bite, finding it smooth, soft, and sweet without being cloying, which made Song Tianyao nod repeatedly. He finished the dessert in two bites, then handed the plate back to Lou Fengyun, indicating that she should portion him another one. Then he said to Tang Boqi: